Two College Friends

By Fred. W. Loring

Two College Friends written by Fred. W. Loring who  was an American journalist, novelist and poet. This book was published in 1871. And now republish in ebook format. We believe this work is culturally important in its original archival form. While we strive to adequately clean and digitally enhance the original work, there are occasionally instances where imperfections such as missing pages, poor pictures or errant marks may have been introduced due to either the quality of the original work. Despite these occasional imperfections, we have brought it back into print as part of our ongoing global book preservation commitment, providing customers with access to the best possible historical reprints. We appreciate your understanding of these occasional imperfections, and sincerely hope you enjoy reading this book.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Publisher s11838
• Release date: Aug 25, 2018
• ISBN: 9788869095603

Book preview

Loring

Table of Contents

PREFACE AND DEDICATION.

TWO COLLEGE FRIENDS.

I. THE LECTURE ON DOMESTIC ARTS.

II. THE PICTURE OVER THE FIREPLACE.

III. HE MOVED WITH A VAST CROWD.

IV. NED’S NOTE-BOOK.

V. CORRESPONDENCE.

1.

2.

3.

VI. ONE YEAR AFTER.

VII. NED’S NOTE-BOOK.

VIII. MIDNIGHT.

IX. THE BEGINNING OF THE END.

X. THE LAST LETTER HOME.

XI. AFTERWARDS.

PREFACE AND DEDICATION.

My dear Friend,—

Indignation at my dedicating this book to you will be useless, since I am at present three thousand miles out of your reach. Moreover, this dedication is not intended as a public monument to our friendship;—I know too much for that. If that were the case, we should manage to quarrel even at this distance, I am quite confident, before the proof-sheets had left the press. But I can dedicate it to you alone of all my college friends, because you and I were brought so especially into the atmosphere of the man who inspired me to undertake it,—the man to whom, under God, I shall owe most of what grace and culture I may ever acquire. You and I know his wonderful unselfishness, his tender sympathy, his exquisite delicacy of thought and life, as well as others know his wit and his scholarship. It was while I was writing the opening pages of this story that the news of his death came. It was while my work was but half finished, that I was called away to the most remote and wildest portions of this great country of ours, and thus has my story become a sketch,—a bare outline of what I intended.

But, such as it is, you and a few others will know what I mean by it; and that point gained, the rest matters little. If by it one single heart is made to throb, even for an instant, with love of this country, of which we can never be too mindful nor too proud, my object will be gained. And now I commend to you this book.

Ever your friend,

FRED. W. LORING.

To Mr. Wm. W. Chamberlin.

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At dawn, he said, "I bid them all farewell,

To go where bugles blow and rifles gleam."

And with the waking thought asleep he fell,

And wandered into dream.

A great hot plain from lake to ocean spread,

Through it a level river slowly drawn:

He moved with a vast crowd, and at its head

Streamed banners like the dawn.

Then came a blinding flash, a deafening roar,

And dissonant cries of terror and dismay;

Blood trickled down the river’s reedy shore,

And with the dead he lay.

The morn broke in upon his solemn dream,

And still with steady pulse and deepening eye,

Where bugles call, he said, "and rifles gleam,

I follow, though I die."

TWO COLLEGE FRIENDS.

"‘At dawn,’ he said, ‘I bid them all farewell,

To go where bugles blow and rifles gleam;’

And with the waking thought asleep he fell,

And wandered into dream."

I.

THE LECTURE ON DOMESTIC ARTS.

It was quarter after two in the afternoon, and the Professor was sitting at his desk, engaged in arranging the notes of his lecture, when there came a knock on the door.

Come in, said the Professor. Ah, Ned! Is it you? This to a graceful boy of twenty, who entered the room.

Yes, it is Ned, said the boy; and he particularly wishes to see you for a few minutes.

Every moment is precious, said the Professor, until my lecture is in order. What is the matter? Are you in trouble?

Yes, said Ned, I am in trouble.

Then let me read to you, said the Professor, the concluding paragraph of my lecture on Domestic Arts.

Oh, don’t! said Ned; I really am in trouble.

Are you the insulter or the insulted, this time? asked the Professor.

Neither, said Ned, shortly; and I’m not in trouble on my own account.

Ah! said the Professor; then you have got into some difficulty in your explorations in low life; or you have spent more than your income; or it’s the perpetual Tom.

It’s the perpetual Tom, said Ned.

I supposed so, observed the Professor. What has that youth been doing now? Drinking, swearing, gambling, bad company, theft, murder?—out with it! I am prepared for anything, from the expression of your face; for anything, that is to say, except my lecture on Domestic Arts, which comes at three.

Well, if you choose to make fun of me, said Ned, I can go; but I thought you would advise me.

And so I will, you ridiculous creature, when you need it, said the Professor; only at such times you generally act for yourself. But, come; my advice and sympathy are yours; so what has Tom done?

He has fallen in love, said Ned.

Oh, no! said the Professor.

Yes, sir, repeated Ned, more firmly, he has fallen in love.

’Tis the way of all flesh, said the Professor; but I don’t think Tom can fall in love. He never even dislikes any one without a cause.

That’s all very well, sir, said Ned; "but when a fellow has a girl’s picture, and looks at it when he thinks he isn’t watched; and when he receives notes, and keeps them, instead of